Page 4 Fall Football Preview • Thursday, August 27, 2026 sailor. mnsun. com
EDINA HORNETS
Bottom line hasn’ t changed for state champs
JOHN SHERMAN john. sherman @ apgecm. com
At a captains’ practice in late July, close to 100 Edina High football candidates in grades 9-12 packed the upper turf adjacent to Kuhlman Field.
Football fever swept through Hornet Country last fall. After going 4-4 during the regular season, Edina won all five of its playoff games and capped the season by defeating Moorhead 42-35 for the Class 6A Prep Bowl championship at U. S. Bank Stadium.
Senior running back Chase Bjorgaard finished his Edina career by rushing for 320 yards and scoring six touchdowns against Moorhead. Two of the touchdowns by Bjorgaard were scored on pass plays from senior quarterback Mason West, who finished a fouryear varsity career as Edina’ s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes.
“ Our expectations for every season are the same – that our players learn to pursue their greatest potential and become better people in the process,” Edina head coach Jason Potts said.“ Our team embodies the core values of effort, attitude, focus, resilience and execution. If we adhere to those values, our team will continue to improve, as evidenced by our 13-4 playoff record since 2020. During that time, three of those four losses were by a touchdown or less.”
( SUN PHOTO BY JOHN SHERMAN)
Captains of the Edina High football team for the 2026 season are, from left to right: Cashill Carl, Gage Geyer, Luke Ansems, Wyatt Perry and Will Granberg.
The players are excited to see what the new year will bring.“ During captains’ practice, we had a good turnout from every grade – not just the seniors,” junior quarterback Brady Olin noted.
The players trust the leadership in the Hornet program.
Luke Ansems, a senior captain and returning starter at tight end, said,“ Jason Potts is the best coach I’ ve had in my life. His speeches prepare us for the games.”
Gage Geyer, the 6-5, 280- pound University of Minnesota recruit, who anchors the Hornet defensive line, said,“ We want to go backto-back. We need to come out faster than we did last year.”
Geyer is the fulcrum of an Edina defense that will be very tough to run against.“ When I think of Gage as a player, I think of his intense desire to excel and his incredible athletic ability,” Edina defensive line coach Thom Propson said.“ He transformed himself into a Big Ten defensive lineman, despite playing only one season of football prior to last year. He embodies the growth mindset that we preach in our program and he is always striving to improve as a person and as an athlete.”
“ It was really fun to see the seniors get the state championship last year,” senior captain and defensive lineman Will Granberg said.“ Our defense is strong all-around this year.”
Cashill Carl, a captain and key returnee in the offensive line, said,“ We have a lot of new players and everyone has been going hard, trying to earn a spot.”
“ In captains’ practice, everyone became more aggressive,” said junior left tackle and captain Wyatt Perry, who is likely to see some two-way duty as a defensive tackle.“ In summer camp we worked on technique every day.”
The annual photo day at Edina’ s Kuhlman Field showed the magnitude of the Hornets’ football program and the growing interest from the freshman and sophomore classes.
Wave after wave of players came out for group photos, starting with the freshmen and culminating with the varsity.
Those watching noted the new jerseys, kelly green, of course, with HORNETS across the front.“ Jerseys worthy of state champions,” one parent declared.
QUICK HITS
Head Coach Jason Potts Seventh Season
Last Year’ s Record: 9-4
Key Returning Players
The Hornets strongest subgroup is the defensive line with the return of University of Minnesota recruit Gage Geyer, a 6-5, 280-pound senior. Another senior with tenacity and toughness on the line is Will Granberg. Junior offensive and defensive lineman Wyatt Perry already has two NCAA Division I offers. Another force in the offensive line is Cashill Carl, third Hornet captain with Division I offers.
The Hornets are working with a new set of offensive backs following the graduation of quarterback Mason West, running back Chase Bjorgaard and the top three wide receivers. Luke Ansems, one of the senior captains, is a sure-handed receiver at tight end.
As new varsity players emerge at the skill positions, Hornet head coach Jason Potts will have a better idea of the Hornets’ offensive potential.
Schedule
Sept. 3: Hopkins Sept. 10: At Wayzata Sept. 18: Eden Prairie Sept. 25: At Maple Grove Oct. 2: St. Michael-Albertville Oct. 9: At Lakeville South Oct. 14: Minnetonka Oct. 23: At Moorhead, 6 p. m.
Game times 7 p. m. unless otherwise noted